The Courtship of Ranma Saotome
by Ferris Wiel
Summary: Ranma and Akane have mellowed after their failed wedding, the problem is, the spark seems to be gone. Can Ranma get it back?
1.

_DISCLAIMER: I own very little, and this is not among my holdings. This is a labor of love (lust)._ **The Courtship of Ranma Saotome** By Ferris Wiel Chapter 1

It was a beautifully sunny afternoon in Nerima. The land seemed to be stretching and yawning, awakening from its winter slumber. The residents were electrified by the simple pleasantry of the climate. Forgotten were the raincoats and galoshes of the past few months. Along with the warmer weather, the carnival had come to town. It bustled, buzzed and hummed with excitement and activity. People readily plunked down their yen in contests of strength, skill, and silliness to win tacky prizes of all shapes and kinds. Ranma Saotome walked quietly along with his friends Hiroshi and Daisuke among the other carnival-goers. The two boys had decided that Ranma was being much too serious and that it would do him good to go out and enjoy himself. They poked at and made fun of each other like boys often do, trying to distract him from the matters which clouded his countenance, but Ranma himself was lost in thought. In the weeks following the botched wedding between himself and Akane Tendo he found himself doing this far more often. Each time his thoughts carried him away, he considered exactly what his relationship was with her. Was she the friend he could trust, or was she a crush he hoped to eventually reveal? Was she was she the unwanted tomboy fiancée thrust upon him by family honor and duty? Every time he felt he had a read on who she was to him, she would hug him or hit him or smile at him and shatter his perceptions of her. And recently every time they saw each other there was an uneasy silence. Additionally, things seemed more uncomfortable between them than they had been before the whole Saffron affair. Before things hadn't been at all serious. Akane hadn't nearly died; Ranma hadn't wept over her, let alone given in to the idea that he may actually love her. All of this weighed heavily on him as he was forced to think over his next move and, as a result, the next step in their "relationship." The squawk of a megaphone awakened him from his thoughts. Looking to his left he spied a western-style strength test complete with mallet and bell. This one was a little more intriguing, though. Instead of just hitting the pedal and making the bell-ringer rise up the pole, the pedal moved from side to side forcing the player to time the hit. He turned to Daisuke, "Heh, hitting a moving target with a mallet, Akane would win that contest easy." Daisuke broke out in guffaws. Ranma approached the booth. The vendor held a megaphone to his mouth, "Step right up! 500 yen to test your strength and agility! Hit the pedal and win a prize! Hit the bell and win a bigger one! So simple a child could do it!" He looked at Ranma, "How about you? You look like a sturdy young man with a strong back. Why not give it a go?" Ranma raised an eyebrow, "No, that's fine, I ain't into these rigged carnival games." The vendor pressed on, "Come on now. It's not that hard, the prizes are worth the effort. I think you've got a shot at it. There's something special about you." Taken only slightly aback with the last compliment, Ranma quickly regained composure, "Uh, no, that's alright." Seeing that he had found his mark, the vendor went in for the kill, "If you can hit the bell three times in a row, I have two round-trip tickets to China for you." He smiled smugly, confidently. "China?" Ranma couldn't pass up an opportunity like this. He laid down the 1500 yen necessary for three tries. Then he focused, "Two round-trip tickets to China? This isn't a joke, we're talking the country of China?" The vendor didn't blink, "The country of China. You have to hit the bell, though." Mallet in hand, Ranma concentrated on the pedal, it was moving more swiftly now than it had previously, but hitting it would still be no trouble for him. He was a martial artist. He swung, and "BONG!" the bell went off. "That's one." The vendor seemed only a little concerned, although he didn't recall actually seeing the mallet move. "BONG!" "Uh, that's two." Now the vendor was very concerned. Two in a row, and the kid had solid hits, those were the only kind that could ring the bell like that. He flipped a switch to increase the pedal's speed to its maximum. Ranma noticed, and looked over at the vendor. "Hey, we never said I couldn't speed the machine up." He smiled nervously. A little agitated, Ranma shrugged it off and the whole world slowed down. The pedal was clear and in sight. The speed didn't matter, though; it was relative. His mind was faster, as were his hands and body. "BONG!" "That's three," Ranma said as he put the mallet down. "Where are the tickets?" The vendor was in shock. He said nothing; he just looked blankly at the boy who had ruined an entire day of business. He then pulled out a briefcase and removed two airline vouchers with his special account number from the inner pocket. He filled out the necessary information for Ranma's round-trip ticket to China and handed them over. Ranma was a little surprised to be actually holding tickets to China in his hands, "Well, um, it was nice doing business with you." Once again, the vendor spoke up, "You'll just need to go to the airline ticket window and request the tickets, just remember, these are business class, not first. That was never part of the deal. Got it?" "I got it." Ranma then approached Daisuke and Hiroshi who had been watching the whole affair, "Now, you guys, I don't want either one of you to mention what just happened here. Got it? I ain't in the mood to fight off crazies who want my tickets." He glared a little as he said it. Both nodded and gulped, they knew Ranma wasn't normally the violent type, especially against non-martial artists. Still, it was best to stay on his good side. 

***** 

The sky was pink and orange. The blazing ball of gas that is the earth's sun had already started to vanish. Stray clouds looked like brightly colored wisps of cotton stuck to the sky. On his way home, Ranma encountered the usual loony bunch, Kodachi attacked him with hypnosis powder, Shampoo glomped him twice, Ryoga tried to fight him, and Kuno...well, Kuno was just Kuno. Finally, Ranma arrived back at the Tendo Dojo. Dinner was almost ready to be served and Ranma was famished. He went to wash up and almost bumped in to Akane. There was an awkward silence as there had been several times over the previous few weeks. They regarded each other quietly before she spoke up, "So, how was your day?" "Uhh, it was good. I, uh," he thought better of telling her about his prize. "How was yours?" She shifted uncomfortably, "It was nice. I ran into Akari and Ryoga. Things seem to be going well for them." Ranma wasn't sure what to say, "Well, that's nice, uh, I hear dinner is ready, we better get moving." Akane looked down, "Yeah, you're right." She continued downstairs while he went on to wash his hands. *Why can't I ever think of anything to say? I'm trying to be nice, but, what can I do? Why can't we go back to the way things were?* Stopping in his room, he dug into his travel pack and pulled out a metal box. He took off the necklace he was wearing that had a small key hanging from it and unlocked the box. Inside were all of his earthly "treasures." Among them were a picture of Akane similar to the one that he had taken on his trip back to Jusenkyo with Plum and the crew, a bamboo leaf with his name and another with Akane's, one of Akane's cookies that had made him deathly ill, the scarf Akane had made for him, and in the bottom of the box was a ribbon tying together the black hair that had been removed by Ryoga's errant airborne belt. He picked the hair up and inhaled the scent; she still used the same soap and its intoxicating fragrance clung to the locks. Quickly realizing that if his mother caught him behaving in such an um-manly fashion it could mean sudden death, Ranma pulled the two airline vouchers from his pocket and placed them in the box. He then locked the box and put it back in his travel pack. Knowing that it would appear to be quite suspicious if he didn't arrive for dinner on time, he headed down and took his usual seat next to Akane. Dinner went off without incident, an anomaly in the Tendo household. Afterward, Ranma went to the roof to consider. *I have two tickets. Who should I give the other one to? I'm going to have to hide these or use them soon. Hiding them would be worthless. They'd be found pretty quickly. I guess that leaves using them. I need to go quietly with somebody who won't try and double-cross me. Then I'd be able to bring back a few bottles of the right water so that Pop, Shampoo, Ryoga and Mousse can get cured. I could take Akane with me, but-* "Ranma," Akane spoke up from the top of the ladder. Ranma almost fell off the roof, "What-oh, Akane. Hi." Akane looked at him. "You've been up here for three hours, what's up?" He got defensive, "Why should anything be up? Can't I just come up and be alone?" He flinched after he said it, realizing she was just concerned. "Look, Ranma, we need to talk. It's about us. Ever since the wedding or near wedding, or whatever, we haven't been the same. Before, we could at least talk to each other, even if we were fighting. Now it's different. You don't say anything to me any more; it's like you're avoiding me." Ranma looked on, surprised by her uncharacteristic candor. Akane continued, "I think it's time we started making some decisions. We've been in a holding pattern for the past year and I'm getting tired of waiting. I mean, I know you feel something for me, but I'm not sure what and I want to know where I stand." Ranma gulped, "A-Akane, I'm not sure. I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt Ukyo, or even Shampoo. I mean, this has been hard enough being forced into an engagement, but you haven't made it any easier for me. Your attitude's different every day. You get mad when it even looks like I'm checking you out but you're hurt if I don't look at you. You get mad if you think I'm looking at the other girls, but if I try and keep you from being alone with guys like Ryoga you get mad, too. You hug me and then you hit me a bunch 'a' times. C'mon, who are you to judge?" She looked a little stung, "Ranma, you have to make up your mind. I don't mean that I want you to tell me if you love me or not. I'm just as confused as you are. I didn't ask for this engagement. I'm trying to make heads or tails out of what is going on. You can be great sometimes, but then you make fun of me and pick on me. I want to be an equal with the person I spend the rest of my life with. Could you ever see me as that? You need to really think about it. If you really care about me you have got to start acting like you respect me or you could lose me someday." He looked down. He knew. "Good night, Ranma," and with that, Akane went back down the ladder and to bed. Ranma remained atop the roof for about an hour and then went to bed himself. 

***** 

The sun rose, but it was of no consequence. Today would not be an inspired day for Ranma Saotome. He was awake prior to sunrise. He was glad that school was winding down and that he'd have summer vacation soon. It was a short, but welcome break from his lessons. In spite of all of his training and missions, he still felt he was in class far too often. The sun on his face did little to invigorate him; he prepared for school half-heartedly. Akane knocked on his door as usual. "Come in." Akane was carrying her bag, "you're ready already?" "I've been up for a while and Pops and I didn't practice this morning." He went back to preparing his bookbag, even though he was packed. "Well, don't wait around too long, I'd like to get to school on time today." Ranma punched his bag, "Damn it!" Breakfast was just starting as he got to the table, he attacked his meal with half of the usual enthusiasm and it was obvious to Akane. She decided to say nothing about it until they were on the way to school, "Are you okay, Ranma?" "Huh?" Ranma looked over at her; he wasn't walking on the fence. "Yeah, I'm fine." "I'm just a little concerned," Akane continued, "you've been thinking a lot lately and you're not much of a thinker usually." "What's that supposed to mean?" Ranma was offended. "I think all the time. Just because I don't have to think as long as everybody else, doesn't mean I ain't a thinker." "Forget it. Why do I bother talking to you?" Akane began walking more swiftly. *No point in pursuing it. I'll just let her be, as usual. She'll be okay, and why do I care if she is anyway? I bend over backwards for her.* When they arrived at school, Akane and Ranma sat in the back row; both wanted to avoid the usual annoyances. Although, following the wedding, those annoyances had been fewer and further between. Class started and a medium-height dark-haired boy stood at the front of the room with the teacher, "Class, I want to introduce Takeshi Nogitoma, he is starting class very late in the year but I hope you will all welcome him with enthusiasm." Akane's eyes widened. *Takeshi? Wait, I know him! We were friends as children!* "Takeshi, come sit over here!" Ranma watched this newcomer very closely. He didn't like how Akane was so familiar with him so quickly. The boy went and sat next to Akane and they struck up conversation very quickly before the lesson began. Ranma stewed. *I don't like the looks of this.* During first period, Akane wondered why Takeshi had returned. She scribbled a note quickly and dropped it on Takeshi's desk subtly, "What are you doing back?" Takeshi read the note quickly and wrote a response, "My aunt's husband died and my father is the executor of the estate. He also wants to move back to Nerima because it's quiet here." Akane wrote back, "So, you're in school for the last two weeks of the year? Why didn't you just take a holiday?" He responded, "My father says, and I agree, that it's important to be in school whenever possible because opportunities to learn are always available." She marveled at this, Ranma was nothing like this boy. This boy was sensible and intelligent. He had charm and was thoughtful, she replied, "Well, it's good to have you back." The bell rang for second period and Takeshi walked Akane to her next class, girl's PE, and then joined the boy's PE class already changing in the locker room. Ranma approached Takeshi in an easy fashion, "Hey, I'm Ranma Saotome. So, you're an old friend of Akane's?" Takeshi was friendly, "Oh, yeah. We go way back. We grew up together here in Nerima. We were very close friends." The martial artist considered this, "So, you were just friends?" Under the spotlight, Takeshi reddened a little, "Well, I did have a bit of a crush on her back then. She never knew it, though." At this, Daisuke chirped, "Doesn't everybody? But hands off, she's-" "Not worth the trouble," Ranma finished quickly. "Yeah, Akane's a lot of trouble." This guy was really starting to get to him. "There are lots of girls here at school, though, and they're always interested in a new guy. Maybe Daisuke and Hiroshi could take you around and show 'em to you." "That'd be nice, but I plan on spending some time with Akane, just to catch up," Takeshi had finished changing and was on his way out of the locker room. The activity in PE that day for the boys was wrestling. Ranma squared off with Takeshi. He knew he would have to go easy because the new guy was not a trained martial artist. Ranma was pinned in the first match. On all subsequent attempts against the new student, Ranma won, but the initial loss made him very uncomfortable. After class, he approached Takeshi, "You were pretty good out there." "Oh, I went to the regional competition for my old school. You were fantastic, though. Do you wrestle, Ranma?" "No," it was clear that Ranma was unnerved, "Well, not really, I do other things." He paused, "You were awfully quick and precise. Have you had any other training?" "I've had a few kick-boxing lessons, but I abhor violence." Takeshi smiled, "I find that logical negotiation solves problems much more quickly than a few blows to the head." Ranma nodded warily then mumbled, "And you say you were close friends with Akane?" 

***** 

After PE, Ranma headed for lunch, glad that Kasumi had packed a box for him. He went to find Akane so he could sit with her and try and make up for that morning. He found her seated with Takeshi and giggling like he had never seen before. Apparently there was some funny childhood memory that the two were sharing. Ranma sat alone at lunch that day. The rest of the classes went by rather quickly. Ranma was glad to see that the day had ended and that Akane would be headed home with him like usual. He watched the pair carefully, outside of the building. After school, Takeshi explained that he had acting lessons that afternoon, but that he'd love to meet up with Akane for dinner if possible. She agreed eagerly. It was not often that she got to see somebody "normal" in Nerima. They hugged their good-byes. Ranma approached as Takeshi left, "So, you and that guy seemed pretty close today," he had a tight smirk on his face. Akane turned to face him, smiling, "Yeah, we're old friends. We grew up together until we were thirteen, then he moved away." She started walking home. Ranma's smirk faded as he turned to follow, he didn't like this. "So you two were good friends? That's all," he baited her. Akane, still smiling serenely, said, "Yes, we are. And we're going to dinner tonight." He didn't like this at all. Takeshi was having dinner with Akane? Ranma calmed himself. It wasn't a big deal. They were childhood friends. "Where are you meeting?" "He's coming to the house to pick me up in his convertible." Ranma stopped walking. Akane didn't notice. 

***** 

Akane rummaged through her closets to find a nice outfit for her outing. She picked a yellow summer dress and a pair of sandals. *I'm so excited! I haven't seen him for years and now he's back. This is wonderful! A friendly face, and acting lessons! Somebody I can talk to, it will be great.* She threw on her outfit and checked herself in the mirror. *I need to brush my hair. Should I paint my nails? Not enough time. Should I wear makeup? Eye shadow and lip gloss, maybe.* Ranma hung outside the window watching her get ready. *She's acting like such a girl. Well, that's better than the tomboy act she always pulls around me.* He noticed she was putting on perfume. *Perfume? Since when does she wear that?* As she left her room he went back inside to continue his surveillance. He paid close attention. There was a knock at the front door. Kasumi hurried to answer it, but Ranma beat her there. "Hey, Takeshi! Tendo residence here, come on in!" He smiled wanly and invited the new boy into the house. He turned upstairs and yelled, "Akane, Takeshi's here!" "I know, Ranma," she said from behind him. He jumped, then belly-laughed, "Ha ha ha! That's my fiancée, always ready, always aware!" He put his arm around Akane, "So, Takeshi, how long have you known my fiancée Akane?" Akane pulled away, "Ranma, you're acting a little strange. Even for you." He laughed again, "Ha ha ha! You're so quick. But that's you, my fiancee, Akane Tendo!" Akane eyed him warily, "Well, we'd best get going. Don't wait up, we've got a lot of catching up to do. Good thing tomorrow is a holiday." Ranma scowled as they left. He tried to busy himself as the evening wore on. By eleven o'clock his nerves were fried. "We don't know anything about him," he said to Kasumi, who was playing Shogi with him. "Of course we do. He's always been an upstanding boy. If I remember, he won a citizenship award last spring, too," Kasumi smiled serenely. "Oh, yeah, he's a saint in the public eye, but c'mon, he's gotta have some dark side, he's a guy after all," Ranma insisted. "Well, I had one of my girls tail them this evening because I always watch out for my little sister, plus I thought I could get you to buy the photos and written details of the evening. For your information, 'The Takeshi Report' will be available tomorrow afternoon for the small price of 2500 yen." Nabiki grinned at Ranma. He wasn't excited about having to purchase information about his own fiancee, especially not from Nabiki, somebody who made the Japanese Mafia's collection tactics look like those of a troop of Girl Scouts. 

***** 

Akane was having the time of her life. First, they went to dinner at a small French restaurant she had wanted to visit for a long time, and the owner of which was a business contact of Takeshi's father whom they had met while living on the outskirts of Paris. The headwaiter had them seated upon arrival and they ordered shortly after that. During their meal they talked about the missing years, life in general, their mothers - both of whom had passed away, and they laughed over some of the old stories from their childhood when Akane would get in fights to protect him from the bullies. The wax dripped slowly down the candles, forming pools at their bases. Akane realized that they had been there for over two hours, then at 7:15 Takeshi looked at his watch and noted that they had to get going. She was confused, but they left the restaurant after he paid and went to a theater where he had tickets for the American musical, "Guys and Dolls." She glowed with excitement; she had never been to an American musical with professional performers before, "Weren't these tickets expensive?" "My father owns a box here and the tickets were going to go unused if we didn't come. I hope this is okay," he smiled warmly. "Oh, of course!" "Wonderful, we'd better hurry or we'll miss the opening scene." They went inside. After the musical, Takeshi took her out for ice cream back in her neighborhood. He then noticed how tired she was, and walked her home from the corner shop. At 11:45pm the door opened and Akane floated in with a peaceful smile on her face. Ranma rushed to her, "What happened? Did he try to hurt you? Why are you so late?" She yawned, "Ranma? What are you doing up still? It's almost midnight." Ranma yanked on his hair, "That's why I'm up! You weren't home yet!" Akane looked puzzled, "You were concerned? There's no reason to be, I was fine. No, I was fantastic. I had a great time. He took me to dinner, and then to a play. But enough about that, it's time for bed. Good night, Ranma." Ranma sat in a state of shock in the main hallway for the next few hours. End Chapter 1 

***** 

**Author's Notes:** This is the first of a series of fanfics I'm writing (as you can tell by the "Chapter 1" denotation at the beginning). One of my fears is that anyone would think this is a self-insertion fic. It is not. I am nothing like the new character. In truth I'm much more of an ass. I also hate anything considered "cultured" like French Restaurants and Broadway musicals. Finally, I never went out for any sports and know only very little about kick-boxing. As a matter of fact, this character is probably the antithesis of me. And quit your bitching about his western-style date. He's grown up living the high life and has more than likely traveled over the years and picked and chosen his lifestyle to reflect the habits of those cultures he's visited, I guess. You will note that Takeshi knows little of how busy the Nerima ward has gotten since he left. The whole, "it's quieter here" thing was a joke. It was supposed to be funny. Really. Laugh. Thanks. The idea for this series came to me after I had re-read the "Ranma and Juliet" story line in the manga. I considered that, while Akane might or might not love Ranma, what would happen if somebody who shared her non-martial-arts interests were to show up? Somebody who appreciates theater, who was non-violent, and somebody who treated Akane like a lady without attempting to get in her skirt. I figured the best way to do this was to bring back somebody from her childhood who she had been good friends with. This would lay the groundwork for a relationship, perceived or otherwise. He has no deep dark secrets. He's a good guy and a normal person who has been dropped into the piranha tank of Nerima. The other part of the idea came from Dave Wolverton's "The Courtship of Princess Leia," available from Bantam books. I read it and had some initial misgivings about the story working with the Star Wars universe. It is a wonderful book, though, if you're into Star Wars. The idea of Amazons and new suitors seemed more appropriate for Ranma 1/2. That was that, then. I had to write a story about Amazons and new suitors. I realize that the largest portion of my notes have had to deal with the arrival of Takeshi Nogitoma. (If anybody has suggestions for a better Japanese boy's name please let me know. I found this one in an article about those little digital pet things although I don't remember if I spelled it correctly.) I also refuse to use, outside of names (ie, Takeshi) and curse descriptions (ie, Onna-Ranma), to utilize Japanese terms, phrases, and pet names (ie, Baka, Arigato, "Ranma no Hentai," Oneechan). I don't believe this will make my story any weaker, and in my personal opinion, I find the use of these terms (especially those misused like "Ranma-Chan" for girl-type Ranma) distracting. It is a given that they are speaking Japanese. There is no need to reinforce that. Yes, blah blah blah, it's a beautiful language and I'm missing the color. But I guess the Graphic Novels missed a large portion of the color because kawaiikune was "uncute tomboy," baka was "moron, jerk, idiot" and Ukyo called Ranma "Ranma honey." Oh, well. So don't bother me about any of this. C/C are appreciated in other areas, though. Especially at this stage when I'm in the process of revising the story. I know, I know. Everybody says, "Just write." I'm a little neurotic about this, though. I want the piece to be good. Getting things straightened out here in the first chapter will help for the later ones. Please be brutal. Flames will make me cry, but I'll deal. Areas of concern: *Let me know if the dialogue is realistic. The same goes for interior monologue. Those are contained within *'s. *Are the characters are behaving the way they should? Bear in mind, of course, that my story line takes the position that things grew very uncomfortable between Ranma and Akane. The uneasiness occurred after his proclamation of love for her following the Saffron battle, and her display of willingness to self-sacrifice for Ranma to be a "whole man" again in going through with the wedding. *Should I flesh out or trim any other areas at this point? *Does it flow? Understand that the airline ticket has a large role later on in the story. *Is it just me or am I a little verbose here in my author's notes? Thanks. 


	2. 

_DISCLAIMER: I own very little, and this is not among my holdings. This is a labor of love (lust)._ **The Courtship of Ranma Saotome** By Ferris Wiel Chapter 2 

True to form, Nabiki had "The Takeshi Report" available in the early afternoon following Akane's "outing" as it was called. Ranma plunked down the necessary cash to read the exact details. Kasumi was, of course, correct. Takeshi Nogitoma was a complete gentleman. Pulled out her chair, paid for dinner, held her purse for her while she visited the powder room. He even kissed her hand at the end of the night. Ranma was nauseated. Akane laughed at his jokes, held his arm and smiled sweetly the whole time. Not to mention, the guy was _loaded_. He had more cash than even Nabiki could drain in a single date and he handled all expenses without even blinking. Nabiki hadn't left his side since he had started reading. She purred softly, "So, are you still concerned? He's perfect." He scowled. "Well if this guy's so perfect why don't you go after him?" Ranma grumbled. "Now you know I don't behave that way, unless it's for profit. Besides, he's not interested. Anyhow I know that I can make more money off of your jealousy-I mean, your concern about Takeshi being a 'creep' as you call him," she smirked. "You sense a little competition, Saotome?" He looked up and smirked back, "Me? Never. I've saved her life so many times that he'd have to buy her the whole city of Tokyo to even come close to what I've done for her." Nabiki leaned in, "Of course, he has mastered an art that you haven't, Ranma." Ranma leaned back, "Huh?" "Exactly," Nabiki left Ranma alone. 

***** 

Over the next few days, Takeshi reared his "perfect" head several times and Akane and he went out each of those times. Ranma was rapidly going into debt trying to pay for the subsequent volumes of "The Takeshi Report" and each was more distressing than the last. Nogitoma behaved himself without fail on each of the "outings." He bought her flowers, won her prizes, paid for meals, but there was something more. That art that Nabiki mentioned seemed to have some way of making Akane putty in his hands, she would come home tired and happy each evening. Ranma grew increasingly nervous. This guy was a charmer without a doubt. He had some sick and twisted plan but Akane was just too blind to see it. He finally decided to approach her about it on one of the rare evenings when she was home, "Akane." Akane turned and smiled at Ranma, "Yes, Ranma?" Ranma continued, "Um, well, about this Takeshi guy, what's up with him?" She brightened, "Oh, well, he's wonderful. Who would have guessed that we have so much in common? He's a great friend. Did you know that his father works for the Tokyo stock exchange?" He tried again, "I mean, what's going on between you two? What's his goal with you?" Smiling wryly, Akane arched an eyebrow, "Ranma Saotome, are you jealous?" Shocked at the suggestion, he started stammering, "What? Me? Never. Why would I be worried about...I mean, you and I are...well...and so...no way." Somehow he miraculously avoided offending her, although it seemed unlikely that, in her current state that such a thing would have been possible. "Okay," she didn't sound convinced. "So, how have you been lately? What have you been up to?" Nabiki piped up, "Outside of slowly losing his mind?" "Shut up, Nabiki. Um, well, I've been doing some serious thinking lately," he thought this might stir her to poke fun at him. Something she had not done for a while. She didn't take the bait, "Oh, well it seems you've needed to. Have you figured out what's troubling you?" Akane asked. "Um, yeah. Kinda. I mean, I have thought alot about what I needed to think about." He was going to continue stammering until there was a knock at the door. "Oh, that must be Takeshi! Ranma, I really do want to finish this conversation. Can we do it tomorrow?" Akane smiled at him. The smiled melted away any angry words, "Oh, uh, yeah. Sure. Tomorrow." "Great!" She gave him a quick hug and ran out the door for what was now being called a "date" with the Nogitoma boy. Akane's father came by a moment later, "I thought Akane had a date this evening?" Ranma looked up absently, "She does, with Takeshi." Soun went demon-ballistic, "With who?!?" The boy was unfazed, "Takeshi Nogitoma, you know, old friend of the family." His future father-in-law fizzled quickly and started weeping. "Oh, the families will never be one," he lamented. Tired of hearing the sobs, Ranma headed out to the dojo to practice. He hoped that he wouldn't be able to think. 

***** 

"Akane." No answer. "Akane?" Again, no answer "Akane?" "Oh, yes, Takeshi?" Takeshi looked concerned, "Is something the matter?" Akane looked at him, puzzled, "Why would there be? I'm having a wonderful time and I hope that I'm showing you appreciation." Finally, Takeshi smiled a wide and perfect smile, "Akane, your presence alone makes this day better than any holiday for me." Akane was a little bothered by this last statement. It would seem that Takeshi had been taking things a little seriously. He was nice enough and never asked for anything, but she still didn't like the fact that he kept looking at her like she was some kind of rare jewel. Attention was one thing, but devotion was something completely different. "That's nice, Takeshi." The boy smiled, it would appear that if he stretched his mouth any wider that he would suffer some sort of muscle spasm that he wouldn't be able to recover from. "Akane, I've been wondering. What exactly is the engagement to Ranma that you have? Did he ask you for it?" She sighed. This was not a conversation she wanted to have. "No, it was arranged by our parents. Sometimes it seems like he cares, but then he turns around and does something to make me question him entirely. To be honest, I wish I could figure out exactly what he wanted." "Hmm." Takeshi put his hand on his chin, "You've been together for over a year now, haven't you?" Akane thought back. It seemed like more than a few years, but apparently it hadn't been. "Yes, we met about a year and a month ago." "Yet he hasn't made his mind up?" Takeshi arched an eyebrow. "Not really, I mean, it's been difficult for both of us. We have good times and bad times like anybody else and up until about two weeks ago everything was going very well, but now he seems very distant." "Maybe he has chosen another of his fiancees?" Akane inhaled sharply, then recovered, "No. That couldn't be it. He's never displayed any affection for them." He looked like an attorney who had just made an excellent point that was going to have to be stricken from the record and disregarded. "I am sorry, Akane. I didn't mean to suggest that he was anything but a perfect gentleman." She giggled, "I don't think that's possible." "Excuse me?" "I don't think it's possible for Ranma to be a perfect gentleman." They both laughed at this. Conversation took a turn away from Ranma and fiancees to much lighter topics for the rest of the evening. 

***** 

Sweating and aching, Ranma staggered upstairs to his room before falling into a heap on his bedroll. Genma was already fast asleep and the house was quiet. Ranma realized that a bath would be necessary before he tried sleeping. It would be nice to feel refreshed anyhow. He headed for the bathroom and slipped out of his clothes. Flipping the sign to mark that the room was indeed in use, he proceeded to wash himself, finishing with a quick rinse before slipping into the furo. The light on the ceiling flickered. Apparently the bulb was in need of changing. He'd handle that after his bath. His tired muscles relaxed in the warm water. He was glad to have cleared his mind completely and work only on his body. Perhaps his father was right that there was no reason to worry about emotions and sentiment. Those were his last thoughts as he dozed off. 

***** 

Akane arrived home tired and in need of a rinse off before bed. She and Takeshi had gone dancing at the newest techno club in town. It was hot inside and she had felt the effects of the heat. Running to her room, she changed into her housecoat and walked into the laundry room leading to the bathroom. The "Do Not Disturb" sign was up, but the lights were out. *Nabiki, you are such a slob.* She opened the door and flipped the light switch, but it was already on. She wiggled it and the lights came up, only to find a black-pigtailed head poking out of the top of the furo. "Ranma!" she shrieked. Ranma awoke with a start, but he remained seated. His head jerked up, "Wha? Who? Where?" "What are you doing in there?" Akane, reasonable for once, knew it had to be an accident. Nobody lies in wait for as long as he must have just to glimpse something he could see through the window. He turned to her, "Oh, Akane! I'm sorry! Don't hit me! I fell asleep!" "Calm down, Ranma. I know you didn't do it on purpose. Let me get out of here, though, so you can get dressed. "Akane," Ranma sounded very meek. "What?" "Thanks for not hitting me. I was havin' a pretty bad day and I...well, just thanks." She smiled again, "You're welcome. Now get dressed, I need to rinse off before bed." Ranma was dressed and in his room in fifteen seconds flat. Good to her word, Akane refrained from exacting any bodily damage on him. After she had cleaned up she knocked on his door. "Come in." "Ranma?" "Who else would be in here talkin' with my voice?" "Have you thought any more about what we discussed?" There was a palpable silence in the room. Ranma looked her straight in the eye, "Akane, I'm still not sure." "Well, Takeshi seems to think that if you were interested you would have said something after a year." "Oh, Takeshi says." "Yes, Takeshi. He's very good about this kind of thing. You two are pretty similar, you know? You both have travelled alot, you know alot about martial arts and he knows cultural stuff." Ranma looked into space and chuckled, "You sound like you're trying to get _me_ to date him." "No, but still. I think you two could be very good friends." "Okay, I'll think about it." Ranma gave her an unsure smile. "Thanks." Akane was truly excited. She didn't even think Ranma would consider it. She grinned at him as she left. With the door shut, Ranma's small smile faded, *Well, I thought about it. No way.* 

***** 

After dinner the next evening Ranma pulled Akane aside, most definitely out of earshot of the rest of the family. "I have a question." he looked quite unsettled. "Okay, but first, did you think about at least talking to Takeshi?" She waited expectantly. "Yeah, and I'm still thinking. But that's not what this was about anyway. I was wondering, do you want to, um, go out sometime?" He looked down. This shocked her, "Oh, Ranma. Yes! "Um, how about tomorrow night? We'll get dinner and go for a walk," he knew it wasn't as fancy as anything Nogitoma could come up with, but still. "Oh," Akane looked a little sheepish, "I had plans with Takeshi, but I could cancel them." Anger suddenly swelled up in Ranma, "Well don't go and change things on my account! I don't need none of your sympathy or nothin'!" He stormed off. A hurt look came across Akane's face. The words pricked her. Hurt turned to rage. *Ranma you jerk! I said I'd change them because I wanted to!* 

***** 

Ranma scrambled across the rooftops more angry with himself than at Akane. *I can't believe I did that! I had her wanting to go out and do something, but I couldn't accept that. Why did I do that?* He stopped running. *I gotta start fixing my problems. First, I'm going to Jusenkyo; this curse is a pain. If I'm ever going to have a chance with Akane I want to be a whole man. Wait, I have an idea!* With that, Ranma headed for the Cat Cafe. 

***** 

A much calmer Akane was upstairs brushing her hair and getting ready for bed. She had done some thinking herself in the past few days since Takeshi's arrival. Of course, most of the thinking had been about Ranma. And after the fight she was thinking very hard. *You know, I've been with Takeshi for a week and I've made alot more headway with him than I have in a year with Ranma. But Ranma can have his moments, and when I feel something with him it really eclipses anything I feel with Takeshi. But maybe that's just because we've spent so much time together.* She glanced at the photograph on her nightstand in the frame that Ranma had purchased for her for Santa Day. *Ranma can be considerate. He even told me that he...no, wait, he took it back or said it never happened or something like that. He's had his chance. Besides, there's always Nabiki and Kasumi,* she lied to herself. She knew neither of them would marry Ranma. *It's not my fault and not my problem. I really like Takeshi. Maybe I don't love him, but that'll come with time. And even if it doesn't, why should I feel pressured into taking Ranma. Sure, he's saved my life a few times. So what? I would have never gotten into the trouble if it hadn't been for Ranma.* That's it. Next time I see Ranma I'm breaking it off. This time, for good. 

***** 

The next morning, Akane realized Ranma hadn't come back after the fight. She was not at all happy with this turn of events, either. In addition, it was obvious that Happosai had broken into her room and stolen several articles of clothing. Breakfast was quiet, so she left for school earlier than usual. The walk was at a casual pace. Everything was normal except she almost had a feeling that she was being followed, but when she turned around there was nothing to confirm the sensation. She came around a corner and suddenly everything went black as she passed out a moment later. End Chapter 2 

***** 

Not many notes this time, but as always C/C appreciated. 


	3. 

_DISCLAIMER: I own very little, and this is not among my holdings. This is a labor of love (lust)._ **The Courtship of Ranma Saotome** By Ferris Wiel Chapter 3

Akane's head ached a little when she came to. She didn't sense danger, though. The person who had done this apparently meant her no harm. She wasn't even tied up. With the pain sensations subsiding, she decided to open her eyes and view her surroundings. *There's no way,* she blinked as she thought it. The room she was in was a bedroom in the Jusenkyo guide's home. Somehow she had been kidnapped and taken to Jusenkyo while on her way to school. Who would take her, though? There was no way that the Saffron's people were behind this because they were busy rebuilding, and they wouldn't take her to the guide's house anyway. None of the usual Nerima suspects could have been involved either, if they could get to Jusenkyo then kidnapping her would have been the least of their concerns. Akane stood up and walked to the door. It was open and she exited to the main room where she found... "Ranma?" Ranma looked up nervously and grinned like an idiot, "Uh, hey Akane. Uh, long time no see." "Who kidnapped me? Why am I here? Where is everybody?" Akane was in no mood for games. He kept grinning, "Uh, yeah, that's a funny story, y'see, I...kinda kidnapped you." In a state of shock, the only thing Akane could think to do was what came by instinct. She struck him and struck hard, "You moron!" The noise drew the Jusenkyo guide from the kitchen, "Oh, hello young miss honored guest! I see you happy to see savior of Jusenkyo." Akane calmed down, "Okay, now what? Why am I in Jusenkyo, Ranma? You never invite me on these trips. Now you kidnap me for a mission?" Holding his head, Ranma decided to respond meekly, "I needed to bring you along because, um." She stood, tapping her foot impatiently, "Why? Tell me? Why not the others? You've got Ryoga, Shampoo, Mousse, your father, and Ukyo, why did you bring me? And another thing-Oh, no! I have a date tonight!" He chuckled nervously, "Well the date was yesterday, see you lost a day because of the knockout potion." "RANMA!" Reflexively, Ranma flinched, but continued, "A-Akane, I needed you for this trip because...well...because you're the only one I could trust. I figured...uh...because I saved your life so many times that you'd be the best bet for watchin' my back. Besides, the others get in the way more than you do. And, I also came to a conclusion." Akane was a little less angry, but still simmering, "Continue." He tugged at the collar of his shirt, "Well, I can't let you keep dating that guy, Takeshi. I'm...I mean, he's a creep. That's not all, though. I want to show you that I'm the guy for you and let you know that if this goes like I want it to I'm going to get rid of my other fiancées and keep just you. I respect you and wanted you to come along because I respected you." He beamed, amazed that he had been able to say those words. Her features softened, then hardened, "You were jealous of a childhood friend? Boy that sounds familiar! Remember Ukyo? I was 'jealous' of her but you didn't see me drug you and take you to some cursed foreign country, right? Besides, what makes you think that I want you? I've seen something in Takeshi that I've never seen in you. He's a gentleman. We like the same things, we laugh together, his life is normal, he's not a pervert, and he listens to me when I say things. Unlike you! You're pigheaded, the martial arts are your life, you make fun of me, you're a sex-changer and a pervert, and you never listen! Why would I choose you over him? I've finally gotten to be treated like a lady and I like it!" Akane stood, unashamed of her words, and ready for Ranma to bite back. Meanwhile, Ranma was crestfallen. He thought that a getaway to an exotic location, away from the daily grind, away from the nuts and freaks that chased them around all day would be a welcome change for her, instead, he was already too late, "Akane, I'm sorry. I thought that maybe I could show you that I really cared. I guess I was wrong. I'll finish my tour here and then we can get back to Japan. You're gonna have to come along, though. I don't want to take any chances on losing you." In a huff, Akane realized she hadn't changed in two days, "Saotome, where are my clothes? I need to get out of these and into something suitable for our hike." He noted the use of his family name and threw his pack to her in which she found a pair of well-worn jeans, sneakers, and a hooded jacket. *You idiot, don't you think this will be just a little warm?* As she dug deeper she found one of Ranma's Chinese shirts and a pair of her hiking shorts. *This'll do nicely, in spite of the fact that the shirt is his.* Akane went into the bathroom for a quick shower and change. When she returned Ranma couldn't help but stare, "You look, uh, good in that." "Flattery isn't getting you anywhere, Saotome. You're dead when we get back," Akane was sincerely angry with Ranma and no small amount of posturing on his part would get him back in her good graces. Ranma furrowed his brow and continued to get everything back into the travel pack. He had a job to do. There was a reason why he had come and Akane was only part of it. He needed to retrieve the waters of Jusenkyo to take back for the others to use. 

*****

Soun Tendo found a letter the night that Ranma and Akane had disappeared. It plainly stated that Ranma wished to have some time alone with his fiancée. He wept openly at the prospect of the union between the Tendo and Saotome schools being so near. He and Nodoka were both very pleased. Nabiki was immediately suspicious. She wished she hadn't pulled the girl off of the school route who would watch Ranma and Akane. They never got into embarrassing situations on that route, though. And with the arrival of Takeshi Nogitoma, she thought it was a good idea to have a girl follow him around and get the juicy details on him. Besides, there was no security issue for Akane on that route because Ranma had a habit of protecting Akane from any harm. Genma also had his doubts. The boy had been behaving erratically lately and seemed to be hiding something. It was just too coincidental that Ranma would disappear like this after all of his sneaking around. Problems really started, though, when Takeshi showed up for his date with Akane. Kasumi answered the door and was alarmed to see Akane's suitor waiting outside, "Takeshi, what a surprise to see you. Didn't Akane cancel her outing with you?" Confused, Takeshi replied, "Wait, she's not here? I haven't heard from her since last night." "Well," Kasumi pondered a moment, "you did know that she and Ranma took a trip, didn't you?" Takeshi was alarmed immediately, "You just let him take her without any warning? Where did they go?" "We're not sure, Ranma just left a note that said he wanted some time alone with her." "Time alone with her? Did she have any say in this? That Saotome probably kidnapped her. I had front row tickets to 'Rent!' She wouldn't just drop everything and run off with him!" Kasumi considered this, "They have gone off before, usually for training in the mountains. Of course, Akane didn't pack a bag, but several articles of her clothing are missing. I just assumed they packed a bag together." He already had his cell phone out and was calling information, "What trail do they usually take? I'm going to see if they've signed the hikers' register." "They usually go up the Monkey trail to camp for their trips," Nabiki had taken an interest in the turn of events. She had already contacted her people and had them checking into it. Yes, information? Get me the number for the mountain outpost at the base of the Monkey trail." There was a pause, "Which one? All of them!" The house phone rang and Nabiki answered, "Tendo residence, Nabiki speaking," a pause, "Oh, thank you very much." She hung up the phone and turned to Takeshi, "We've got a lead on where they were last seen." Takeshi hung up, "Okay, so where?" Nabiki smirked, "You're not going to like this. They were seen at the airport, boarding a plane to China." The boy was speechless. He slumped into a chair. The middle Tendo daughter had a wry expression on her face. She was duly impressed with Ranma, "He got under my radar completely. How did he get the money for the tickets? I had him so deep in debt that he couldn't catch the bus to next door. And besides, I didn't even suspect that he was headed that way." "Are you quite finished?" Takeshi considered his options, then dialed a number quickly, "Is this Quistis Travel? Good. I need an airline ticket." Nabiki grabbed his arm, "Wait, you're going after them? It'll be safer if you just wait for them to return. If Ranma went he had a good reason for it." "Look," Takeshi was impatient, "I have been on safari in Africa, and have trained in survival skills. I'll have the best of supplies and the best possible guides to get me to where I need to go. Nothing will stop me from bringing her back. I lost her once when I was just a boy, but I'll not lose her again to that...scoundrel." Scoundrel? Nabiki had heard Ranma called many things, but never a "scoundrel." She relented, "Okay, I'd bet the house that they've gone to Jusenkyo." Genma poked his head around the door, he hadn't heard much but he knew somebody was going to Jusenkyo, "Son, you're going to need a trained martial artist on this trip. That rotten son of mine must be brought to justice." "Ranma is your son? Well, at least now I know where he gets his lack of etiquette. I have no use for you." He returned to the phone call, "Okay, I am going to need two tickets to Jusenkyo leaving first thing tomorrow morning," pause, "There's no airport there? What's nearest?" He wrote down the destination, "That'll do. Charge it to the Nogitoma account. Thank you." Nabiki looked thoughtful, "Two tickets? I thought you weren't taking Ranma's father?" "I'm not," Takeshi ripped the sheet of paper off of the pad, "I'm taking one of Akane's friends. He's strong and intelligent, and in spite of the fact we just met, I know Akane trusts him implicitly." Dread shot across Nabiki's face, "You don't mean," she trailed off. "Ryoga Hibiki." 

***** 

The phone rang at the Hibiki residence and the visiting Akari answered, "Hello? Yes, he's here." She put her hand over the receiver, "Ryoga, it's for you." Ryoga was shocked, he never received phone calls. "Hello?" pause, "Ranma did WHAT?!?" Akari sensed Ryoga's anger and listened as he continued, "Okay, I'll pack and meet you at the airport tomorrow morning," pause, "Seven is fine." He hung up and turned to Akari, "I have to go. Ranma's done something terrible to Akane." She didn't like where this was headed, "So you're going where? I heard something about the airport." "Takeshi Nogitoma and I are headed to China; to Jusenkyo, particularly," for some reason, Ranma's taken Akane there. I'm guessing he's gone off the deep end." He grew somber, "While I'm there I'm going to find a cure for my curse so I can be a complete man. I have to." She knew this day would come, "Will you come back to me?" "I don't know," he scratched his head, "I get lost pretty easy." She laughed at this, "Okay, you better get packing." He ran off to go find his room and his backpack. Akari sat alone in the quiet and said a short prayer, "Please come back to me, Ryoga." 

*****

It was a short hike to the springs and the guide proudly announced their arrival, "See here, honored guests, we now at cursed springs!" Akane looked at the springs and stood far enough back to know that she was safe and wouldn't fall in. She had no desire to turn out like freak show the fiancée. The guide directed Ranma to the spring of the drowned girl. He shuddered as he remembered falling in and realizing that anatomical pieces had moved and shrank and grown and disappeared completely during his first dip into the pool. He pulled a bottle from his pack clearly marked as "For Shampoo" and proceeded to fill the bottle with the cursed water. Akane was shocked and impressed that Ranma would consider the others when trying to retrieve the curse cure. She was even more impressed that he would get the drowned-girl water first. This was until she realized that getting the water of drowned-girl first was safest because if he fell in there was no harm in it. He quickly sealed the bottle, then made his way carefully to the spring of drowned man to find the water he could use to change himself and the others back to normal. Suddenly Ranma sensed a change in the wind; something wasn't right. The guide had disappeared and something was unsettling but he couldn't quite place it. Out of nowhere came a flying kick that he deftly, but only barely dodged. He looked up to see a girl who looked vaguely familiar to him. "Amazons," he whispered. She spoke to him in her native tongue, of course he didn't understand. He knew he had to be careful with her, though. He couldn't fight her because he knew how the Amazon laws worked now. Two others stepped out of the underbrush. They were older girls, women really, and both wore outfits very similar to what Shampoo would wear on missions. The taller of the two elder girls had dark black hair and the shorter had green. The girl that nearly kicked him had pink hair, and all of them wore their hair long and very much like Shampoo's. The black-haired girl spoke, "My name is Hairspray, outsider male. Tell me, have you been claimed yet? And be aware that I will know if you lie." *Well, at least she speaks Japanese, that's a relief. Let's see if the diplomacy Cologne tried to teach me has any value.* He bowed low, "Honorable Amazon Hairspray, I have indeed had claim laid to me by three honorable women. Shampoo, great-granddaughter of the most honorable matriarch Cologne, the outsider Ukyo of the clan Kuonji, and the outsider Akane of the clan Tendo all have claim. I am promised to all three upon my honor, by my dishonorable male outsider father." Hairspray was impressed, "You speak well for an outsider, you must be Ranma Saotome. Matriarch Cologne has spoken highly of you in her letters and your reputation precedes you." Ranma heaved a sigh of relief. She then continued, "But, you are also an outsider male trespassing on Amazon land, and the penalty for that must be decided by the council of elders. This woman with you has the opportunity to claim custody and responsibility for you," Hairspray turned to Akane, "do you wish to claim custody of this male?" Akane was at wits end, and this made Ranma very nervous, but finally she bowed low and said, "Honorable Amazon Hairspray, I, Outsider Akane Tendo, will take responsibility for the male, Ranma Saotome," and added under her breath, "Ranma, you owe me big." Hairspray nodded, "It is decided then, for the time being, until his fate is determined by the elders, Ranma Saotome is the servant of the Outsider Akane Tendo." Akane smiled slightly at this, maybe the trip wouldn't be so bad after all. 

*****

Ryoga had only been on an airplane one time and that was because he accidentally found himself in the cargo bay of an airborne delivery service. This was completely different. Most important of all, he had made it on time to the airport. Of course, Akari had a hand in that. As a matter of fact, she and he took a taxi to the airport so that he would arrive on time. She had kissed him on the cheek before they met up with Takeshi and he had blushed and grinned. He turned to his travelling companion, "So, Takeshi, have you been to China before?" Takeshi didn't feel terribly conversational but he engaged Ryoga, "A few times. I've been to Beijing and Hong Kong with my father. I haven't been to Jusenkyo yet, though." "Oh, it's pretty there, as long as you stay away from the water," Ryoga grinned, his fangs showing. "I'd say if you just keep your feet under you you'll be just fine." "You know this Saotome, correct?" Takeshi stared hard at Ryoga. "Uh, yeah. We train together sometimes and fight quite a bit. He's tough and has a lot of street smarts. I don't trust him with Akane, though. He always used to make her upset. That's one reason why I decided I would try and protect her from him." "You're a good friend, Ryoga," Takeshi glanced out the window, "Can I trust you with a small confidence?" Ryoga looked a little nervous, "Sure. What is it?" "When we get back to Nerima I'm going to speak with Akane's father about marriage." The wind left Ryoga's lungs; he regained it and spoke, "You're going to propose to Mr. Tendo?" 

*****

Ranma only had a vague recollection of how long it had taken to get to the Amazon village prior to his first encounter with Shampoo. He had been so angry and confused after being cursed that the days ran together. They had been hiking, though, for about five hours, and still nothing looked terribly familiar. The Jusenkyo guide never did turn up. It was Ranma's guess that he had run at the first sign of danger. Typical. Of course, had he known that he was going before the tribunal for trespassing, he was pretty sure he would have run as well. It was important that he find a way out of this. He couldn't fight, because fighting was what got him in the mess with Shampoo in the first place. He couldn't disguise himself, because even Hairspray knew of his curse. Running wasn't an option either, because Akane wasn't fast enough to keep pace with him. At this point it hit him; he would have to face the tribunal and accept his punishment in order to protect Akane. The youngest Tendo daughter was quite displeased. She had no desire to be delayed in returning to Japan, and Ranma's stupidity had cost her at least one additional day away from the world she knew. Akane considered, though, that being among Amazons had its advantages, too. For instance, she could order Ranma around without him being able to argue back. This was a definite plus. She turned to her charge, "So, Ranma, are you glad you came on this little trip of yours?" "Akane, you knew it was necessary that I," he was cut off. "It sounds like you're getting angry, Ranma," Akane smirked, "you know that you're not allowed to talk to your superior like that." Hairspray rolled her eyes but never looked back, "Outsider Akane Tendo, we Amazons do have rules to protect men, much the way we have laws to protect animals. You will do your best not to abuse Ranma Saotome or you will lose the privileges of custody." Akane frowned, this was the downside; the Amazons had honor codes. She wondered how much longer it would be before they arrived, "Hairspray, how far are we from the village?" "We are almost there," Hairspray cleared the hilltop. "Below in the valley you can see it." "It's larger than I expected," Akane noted that it looked more modern than she had anticipated as well. Hairspray signaled to the pink-haired girl, Gel, who ran ahead to notify the village of their return. "They will be expecting you, but there is something I must tell you before we enter." Ranma nodded, deciding that it was best not to say anything, he'd learned often too late that his mouth had a way of getting him in trouble "You weren't aware of it, but Cologne had been authorized to return you by any means necessary," her gaze leveled at Ranma. Akane sniffed, "So, attempting to accelerate the inevitable wedding march?" Hairspray turned quickly, "You will do well to watch your mouth, as you are a guest in our village. But no, this has nothing to do with Shampoo's minor engagement difficulties. War is brewing and Saotome has proven a strong and valuable warrior, a trait rare in men." Marginally easing her tone, Akane queried, "Okay, he can fight, I don't understand, though. He learned almost all of his special techniques from Cologne, what real good is he?" It had the desired effect, taking Ranma down yet another peg. He turned away to survey the village. "Saotome is more than an apt pupil of the martial arts. He can control larger volumes of chi than have been harnessed by entire generations of our people and he defeated Saffron, a feat that would have cost our tribe countless lives and taken years." She examined Ranma, "He has good breeding stock, but aside from that we need him to help negotiate a peace. Interesingly, Akane Tendo, you were also required to come. Saotome unwittingly fulfilled both requests." "Oh, me? I'm so grateful that I wasn't overlooked, for once," Akane's voice dripped with sarcasm. Hairspray's displeasure was apparent, "You do not yet understand your importance but the time for discussing that is later. Now we must go before the counsel." 

*****

"Come along now, child. We've only a short distance left." Cologne spoke to Shampoo in their native tongue. "Yes Great-Grandmother. Is it true that husband will be there when we arrive?" "Of course, though I can't believe the boy stumbled into our plans. When he approached me for the knockout potion I couldn't believe the luck. I knew what he was planning but it still surprised me." Shampoo mused, "Why is he required to return? I have yet to win his affections." "His powers are respected and there is a chance he may be the one foretold many years ago. Vague legends spoke of the return of our most powerful warrior and his female-type fits the description. Of course, many have fallen into the spring of drowned girl and assumed a similar form." "So, the warrior spirit within Ranma may be more than a coincidence. I see." She turned around, "Mousse," she said crossly, "Why are you falling so far behind?" Mousse carried two large trunks full of Cologne's artifacts, his shoulders sagged under the pressure as he stumbled forward, "Shampoo, I am doing everything in my power to please you. Don't..." He never finished, he stepped in a puddle, assuming duck form. "Well, as long as it shuts him up, I don't mind carrying the trunks. Shampoo hoisted them and continued on the path. End Chapter 3 

*****

**Author's Notes:** Since I didn't have any last time I figure you're in for a double-dose this time. I kid of course. **

Chapter 3 specifics

** This chapter is really supposed to get the ball rolling on the adventure side. I've been brooding and sentimental for two chapters, I figured it was time to at least try and involve some action. As I said in the notes for chapter 1, amazons are important in this story. Ranma's interaction with them is vital and Akane will have a major role, too...now if I can just figure out what it should be. Takeshi choosing Ryoga once again demonstrates that, while he may be good boyfriend material, he doesn't have what it takes to stage a rescue operation, therefore he _is_ flawed and I'm happy to see that. I mean, who picks Ryoga as a guide?!? Too many conveniences in Ranma being able to just waltz off with Akane? Plot devices? Perhaps, but Saotome is a pretty stealthy guy when he wants to be and planning covert ops (like he did in "kidnapping" Akane) was just my way of nodding to his military potential (foreshadowing element?). Akane's anger here is not a passing thing. She is sincerely disgusted and Ranma is in the ever difficult position of having to "dig up" (as in use your shovel to dig a way out of your hole) as my ex-girlfriend would tell me when I'd done something very stupid. **

More notes on Takeshi Nogitoma and why he was created

** I figured that while Akane has the usual cast of buffoons and one-shots like Kuno, Mikado Sanzenin, and Shinnosuke, she has never had anybody that could be a viable threat in Ranma's eyes. Remember that, while he is the closest thing Akane has to an alternative, Ryoga appears on her radar only as a friend, and if she were to ever find out about his deceits I think it would be a long time coming before she forgave him and even longer before she trusted him. Akane is a sensitive girl with real feelings. She wants to be treated with the proper respect and shown courtesy. I figured that this new character could accomplish that task. He could be a well-rounded young gentleman who had genuine feelings for her, not just the unwashed lust like Kuno has, or the feelings of tenderness inspired by her kindness and friendship as in the case of Ryoga. This new boy, Takeshi, would be the knight in shining armor, asking nothing of her and giving willingly of himself (I hate guys like that, they make me look bad). I wanted him to sweep her off her feet and have no other motive outside of friendship at first and a true love for her second. I also figure that Ranma needs to be given a run for his money to try and actually win the heart of Akane, rather than just have it tossed his way because he was obviously better than the buffet of losers readily available at her fingertips. I believe it was Ayn Rand who said that a man and woman should love each other out of selfishness, each desiring the other equally. **

What may be on the horizon

** *Going before the tribunal *An enemy revealed *Takeshi and Ryoga arrive at Jusenkyo *An accident *A light rain *An explanation about why Ranma never really accepted his fate. I hope you all enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing. More is on the way, but I should consider writing the second chapter of my Harry Potter piece before I continue this one. C/C is inspirational and good for my ego. Bottoms up! Ferris Wiel 


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